Choosing fuel for an Irish winter starts with your appliance, not the biggest bag or the boldest heat claim. Wood pellets, firewood, wood briquettes and Supertherm coal-based fuel are different options, and they are not automatically interchangeable. Here is how to choose for your stove, storage space and buying routine.
The quick comparison
| Choice | When it makes sense | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wood pellets | You have a pellet stove or pellet boiler designed for the specified pellets. | Required pellet specification, bag weight and a reliably dry storage area. |
| Kiln-dried firewood | You want logs for an appliance approved to burn wood and have room to store them. | Moisture, log length, usable firebox space and whether the quantity is bagged, loose or stacked. |
| Wood briquettes or heat logs | You want compressed wood in countable, stackable packs for an appliance that permits it. | Actual material, pack weight, loading instructions and protection from moisture. |
| Supertherm Smokeless Coal 20kg | You want a bagged coal-based fuel and your appliance explicitly permits this type of manufactured fuel. | Appliance approval, loading and air-control instructions, the 20kg handling weight and suitable covered storage. |
In this guide, “wood briquettes” means compressed wood fuel. Not every briquette is wood: our Rekord briquettes are lignite. Supertherm is a separate coal-based option, not a wood fuel. Do not treat these fuels as interchangeable.
1. Start with stove suitability
Check the appliance manual for the permitted fuel and loading instructions before ordering. SEAI advises that stoves can be designed for wood, coal-based fuels or both, and that the wrong fuel can compromise efficiency. A multi-fuel label is not a reason to assume every fuel is suitable.
For pellets, confirm the pellet specification required by your pellet stove or boiler. Do not assume loose pellets can replace logs in an ordinary wood-burning stove or open fire. If the product information and your appliance instructions differ, resolve that before buying.
For firewood, check log length as well as fuel type. Our Zero Wood 18-litre birch firewood lists logs at approximately 25cm, plus or minus 2cm. Measure your usable firebox space rather than relying on the stove's external dimensions.
For Supertherm, confirm that your appliance permits the specific manufactured coal-based fuel. Do not use it in a wood-only stove or pellet appliance. Follow the appliance and fuel-pack instructions for loading and air controls.
2. Heat output: compare like with like
There is no reliable universal winner for every home. SEAI explains that moisture reduces the energy content of wood fuel, and that quoted calorific values must be compared on the same basis: net or gross, and at the stated moisture content. A claim of “high heat” alone does not tell you which pack offers better value.
Ask for a product's declared energy content if you want a numerical comparison. Fuel energy content is not the same as heat delivered to your room: appliance performance and operation matter too. Avoid comparing a bag price with a crate price without checking the quantity and specification.
The Supertherm listing describes a high-heat fuel that banks well, but this guide does not assign it a guaranteed burn time or rank its useful heat against the wood fuels without comparable specifications. Do not assume that a 20kg bag delivers twice the usable heat of a 10kg pack of a different fuel.
3. Moisture matters, even after delivery
SEAI's biomass technology guidance says wood pellets generally have moisture below 10%, while logs for log boilers typically need moisture below around 20%. These are general reference points, not a substitute for your appliance's specification or a guarantee for every product. These wood-fuel moisture figures are not specifications for Supertherm.
Our 18-litre kiln-dried birch logs and one-cubic-metre birch crate list moisture below 20%. Kiln drying describes the preparation of the logs; keep them protected from rain and ground moisture after delivery.
For practical Irish storage, choose a covered, ventilated place for logs and keep them off damp ground. Keep pellets and wood briquettes in dry, protected storage, with packaging intact until needed. A damp shed or leaking roof is a reason to buy smaller quantities rather than risk a full season's supply. Store Supertherm under cover in a suitable fuel-storage area or container, following the pack instructions.
4. When pellets make sense
Pellets are the option to consider when your heating system is designed for pellet fuel. Choose a manageable bag size and confirm the required specification before committing to a pallet.
Compare Shamrock Wood Pellets 10kg with Woodflame Premium Wood Pellets 15kg. For larger orders, see the 66-bag pellet pallet. Check the current listing for the bag specification and delivery terms. A pallet is only convenient if you can receive it and move the bags into dry storage.
5. When firewood makes sense
Kiln-dried logs suit buyers who want conventional firewood for an approved wood-burning appliance and can accommodate the log size and storage needs. Smaller bags let you try a format or top up without committing to a crate.
Start with 18-litre birch firewood, or compare the one-cubic-metre birch crate and one-cubic-metre oak crate for stocking up. The oak listing gives an approximate weight; do not treat that as a fixed conversion for every crate or wood species.
6. When wood briquettes make sense
Wood briquettes offer compressed wood in packs that can be easier to count and organise than loose logs. They are worth considering when your appliance permits them and you have dry storage. Follow the pack and appliance loading instructions rather than filling the firebox as you would with logs.
Compare Zero Wood Oak Heat Log Briquettes 10kg, 12-pack and Thorntons Ecoblaze Wood Briquettes 10kg, 12-pack. Both listings describe wood-based fuel. If you are browsing other briquettes, check the material, not just the product name.
7. When Supertherm 20kg makes sense
Supertherm Smokeless Coal 20kg is a coal-based option from the Homefire range. The listing describes it as a high-heat fuel for open fires and glass-fronted stoves, but the deciding factor is whether your particular appliance permits it. It is not an alternative for a wood-only stove or a pellet system.
Consider it if you already use an approved coal-based fuel and prefer buying in 20kg bags. Check that you can handle that weight safely and have suitable covered storage before ordering several bags. Follow the appliance's loading and air-control instructions rather than assuming it should be operated like a log fire.
“Smokeless” is part of the product description, not a claim here that burning produces no emissions. This guide makes no numerical smoke, carbon or air-quality comparison with pellets, logs or wood briquettes.
8. Delivery volume: plan the storage before the order
Kilograms, litres, cubic metres and pack counts measure different things. An 18-litre bag of logs is not an 18kg bag. A stated crate volume does not establish a universal weight or heat equivalent, and stacked logs include spaces between pieces. Supertherm's 20kg pack weight is not a storage-volume measurement; check bag dimensions or ask about space requirements when stocking up.
For a larger order, check the current product listing and confirm the number of bags or packs, pallet or crate dimensions, delivery access and unloading arrangements. Do not assume pallet delivery includes carrying fuel into a shed. Check that you can move the individual packs safely and store the full order under cover.
Our range includes a 64-bag pallet of 18-litre birch firewood and a 96-bale wood briquette pallet. Check current availability, pack details and delivery terms on the individual listing before ordering.
Which should you choose?
Have an approved pellet system? Start with the pellet specification it requires, then choose a bag or pallet quantity that fits your storage. Prefer traditional logs in a wood-burning appliance? Start with kiln-dried firewood of the right length. Want compressed wood in stackable packs? Consider wood briquettes if your appliance permits them. Prefer a bagged coal-based option for an appliance approved to burn it? Consider Supertherm 20kg, checking the loading instructions and handling weight first.
If you are unsure, bring your appliance make and model to the team at Beattys of Loughrea before buying. Browse our Fuel collection for current options and check individual products for volume discounts.
Sources and how to use this guide
General guidance is informed by SEAI's Biomass Boilers Technology Guide for wood-fuel moisture, calorific value and storage volume, and SEAI's Stove Ecodesign leaflet for appliance fuel suitability. Boiler guidance is used for general fuel principles, not as an instruction manual for a domestic stove. Pack sizes and listed specifications come from the linked Beattys product listings, including the Supertherm 20kg listing. Always check current packaging and your appliance manual. This guide does not rank emissions or make carbon-neutral claims.
